“I Don’t Own A Single Concession, I’m Not Involved In Mining” – Mireku Duker

The Deputy Minister of Lands and Natural Resources in charge of mining, George Mireku Duker has also parried allegations of his involvement in the destructive form of mining, ‘galamsey’. The Minister, who is representative of the people of Tarkwa-Nsuaem in Ghana’s Parliament, has revealed he is only suffering the fate of fifinger-pointing

because the Constituency is a lead gold-producing area; the majority of his people are also involved in mining, including illegal mining. Let me first of all clear this - Mireku Duker has never mined, and I don’t own a single concession. I represent miners in the Parliament of Ghana. In my Constituency, almost all of them have

either direct or indirect association with mining. And therefore, any issue with mining, obviously, they will contact or mention Mireku Duker whenever they have been arrested or when any negativity as far as mining is concerned,” he said. According to him, the Constituency has been one which has seen more security invasion to

clamp down on illegal mining since the fight against ‘galamsey’ started because of its position as a lead producer of gold in Ghana. He said he has not favoured them because he is their MP, but has ensured that illegal mining is dealt with squarely, irrespective. Even if you look at the fight against galamsey itself, the area where

we have consistently used the Police and military more on miners is Tarkwa-Nsuaem. And don’t forget that it is the heart of gold, because about 50% of gold production in Ghana is coming from that area, he said.